Twin Whistle Firehouse

[Dave K.]

I was knocking around the interwebs about two months ago (instead of building something, shamefully) when I somehow stumbled upon this pic on Facebook. I was really taken by it and investigated further, learning that it's a work in progress by a modeler named Allen Goethe of North Carolina. He's got himself a kit and model-making shop called Twin Whistle Sign and Kit Co. Further down his page was this pic of the prototype.

[Dave K.]

I visited his website and saw that fire stations seem to be his thing, so I ordered New York City Engine Co. #5, figuring it would do nicely for 1950s Frankfort, Michigan.

[Dave K.]

http://twinwhistle.com

[Dave K.]

Had the kit within a week. Here are the goodies...

[Dave K.]

The side and back walls are styrene which, I'm sure, keeps the kit cost down ($39.95 in HO). I'll go ahead and build this simple box per instructions, but I may replace them with brick sheet from Jimmy at MMW.   Allen has lines pre-measured and scored so you know exactly where to put bracing.

[Dave K.]

While I'm waiting to prep some more pix for posting, here's another of his HO firehouses, FDNY Squad 18. You can see the styrene used for the side wall.  He also sells some of these as facades only.

[Dave K.]

Here's another detail shot I found on the web.

[Dave K.]

Putting in the stops for the roof and center "floor" support, then painting the interior flat black...

[Dave K.]

...and then a good ol' Amish wall-raising, but with clamps.

[Zephyrus52246]

Novel idea having just styrene for the sides and back as not every building is on a corner. 


Jeff

[Dave K.]

Yeah...I'll either replace with brick or it'll get sandwiched between two businesses downtown. Also could do the sides as stucco. Or put it between a lumberyard and a fireworks factory. 😜

The front façade is resin, and the detailed front piece nests inside.

[ak-milw]

Looking good so far. I can see the point of using styrene to keep the cost down and why waste the time if the building is up against another.

[deemery]

Alternately, you can laminate brick sheeting (styrene, e.g. from http://www.the-n-arch.com or paper) to those styrene walls.  That would make a great opportunity for detailing a 'ghost building' that shared the brick wall and was later torn down.


dave

[BandOGuy]

Methinks you'll need a white ambulance parked in the doorway and a large, inflated Pillsbury dough-boy hovering above the layout nearby somewhere. I really want to see one of your little people painted as Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray. Just screams Ghostbusters to me! 
Keep the good stuff coming, please.

[Dave K.]

He's got the Ghostbusters kit in O and S scales. 😜